The figure stood with his back to the wall, eyeing the crowd for a likely client. There were many like him watching the crowds this evening; thieves and merchants, guards and missionaries. There were some potentials out there, but he was biding his time waiting for someone truly worth his effort.
The courtyard where he stood was still busy, even as evening set on. The nearby gate was one of the city’s main thoroughfares, bringing in travelers from distant lands at all hours.
Finally, after Gwyrriun was nearly convinced it would be another day with no work, he caught sight of just the sort of client he preferred. Dressed in fabulous robes, riding a raised litter with a covered chair and bearing an entourage practically dressed in money; the rogue felt richer already.
He called out, his usual pitch: “Anything you want, anything at all. Anything you want in this world, I can get it for you.”
It caught the customer’s attention, though the locals had heard it before. He was still fairly new to the city, and had only tried this take a few weeks now; previously he had made a meager living making arrows.
“…Anything?”
“Anything at all. There’s everything any person could need in this city, and if I don’t know how to get it, it can’t be got- of course, for a price.”
“What I need isn’t in this city.”
“Oh I assure you, EVERYTHING is in this ci-“
The figure turned away, robes swirling.
“Alright alright have it your way. I’ll still get it. Whatever it is.”
The figure swirled back. “I thought you might change your mind. You know I can pay well. You should realize, anything for sale I would buy myself. This is not for sale. And no man can take it. I will pay you half now. If you can get this thing for me, I will believe I can send you on an even greater task. For even more coins, of course.”
One of his people drew forth a nondescript burlap sack. Its only feature was being heavy when Gwyrriun received it. He opened it, more coins than he’d ever seen in his life. And this was only half of it. What could this rare needed thing possibly be?
An hour or so later, he understood. He’d have to spend some of the money on a voyage to another land. After he got there, he’d have to figure out a way to obtain a particular gem that was of essential value to the stranger. The problem was that the gem was hidden deep in an untracked wilderness, guarded by a band of vicious…pixies.
The next day, his journey began aboard a huge yet barely sea worthy vessel dubbed The Flightless Duck. The ship was nearly ancient, but was known for making endless voyages across the eastern sea; it had made the journey countless times, it would make it once more.
